Synonyms for Snake Pit (same or very similar meaning)
WordNet sense 1 (any place of pain and turmoil):
hell, hellhole, inferno, hell on earth, the pitsWordNet sense 2 (pejorative terms for an insane asylum):
bedlam, madhouse, sanatorium, nuthouse, booby hatch, crazy house, cuckoo's nest, funny farm, funny house, loony binFrom the ODE community, based on WordNetadd/edit